Episode 52 (12th June 1961)
Plot Billy fixes the Rovers' old dartboard for Jack. He and Len suggest that Jack holds a "name card" lottery for the darts team to defray the expenses of buying a new board and arrows. Billy wonders if Concepta will stay on as barmaid once she's married, worrying Jack who'd never considered that they would lose her if they start a family. Harry and Concepta have gone to St. Theresa's RC Church to see Father Bennett. Both are nervous, Harry especially as he's worried the priest will try and talk Concepta out of a mixed marriage. He's thrown when the housekeeper, Mrs Flanagan, insists that Concepta goes in first and alone. Ida goes to the bus station to meet her mother, Nancy, who is coming to live with them until she's better. Ken moves into David's room to make room for her, sleeping on a camp bed. David's plaster has been taken off and signed by the team. The Barlow men are surprised when Nancy turns up alone, having caught an earlier bus. Concepta admits to Father Bennett that her parents are adamantly opposed to her marrying a British man. The priest wonders if she's marrying because she wants to rebel against her parents but she convinces him that she loves Harry. He tells her she'll have to get the Bishop's permission. They set the date for 20th September but she is upset to learn she won't be able to have any music or flowers as it's the Bishop's instruction for a mixed marriage. The priest sees Harry alone next and tells him he will have to have Catholic instruction for the marriage and agree that any children they have together will be brought up in the faith. They set a date to meet again. Dennis's guitar playing is getting on Elsie's nerves. Linda is tired of being pregnant and going nowhere. Elsie suggests they go to see Dot as a change of scene. In a mood, Linda is argumentative with Ivan. Len organises the "name card" lottery and sells a ticket to Minnie. Martha refuses to buy the last one so Ivan takes it and promptly wins. Dot rings the Rovers and tells Ivan that Linda has gone into labour and been taken to hospital. As the regulars cheer him off, he rushes to see her. Cast Regular cast *Harry Hewitt - Ivan Beavis *Concepta Riley - Doreen Keogh *Elsie Tanner - Patricia Phoenix *Linda Cheveski - Anne Cunningham *Ivan Cheveski - Ernst Walder *Frank Barlow - Frank Pemberton *Ida Barlow - Noel Dyson *Kenneth Barlow - William Roache *David Barlow - Alan Rothwell *Annie Walker - Doris Speed *Billy Walker - Kenneth Farrington *Jack Walker - Arthur Leslie *Minnie Caldwell - Margot Bryant *Martha Longhurst - Lynne Carol *Len Fairclough - Peter Adamson *Dennis Tanner - Philip Lowrie (Uncredited, voice only) Guest cast *Nancy Leathers - Norah Hammond (Credited as "Nancy Leather") *Mrs Flanagan - Sybil Holroyd *Father Bennett - David Markham Places *Rovers Return Inn - Public/Snug *3 Coronation Street - Back room *11 Coronation Street - Back room and hallway *St. Theresa's RC Church - Father Bennett's study and passageway Notes *Dennis Tanner is heard singing along to his guitar but is unseen and uncredited. *This episode carries no director credit, either on-screen or in TV Times. *''TV Times: Every front door hides a story. Behind the front doors in Coronation Street are stories of excitement and joy, pathos and humour ''(This generic synopsis did not appear in all regional editions) *Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 6,330,000 homes (4th place). Episode 052